January always gives me mixed emotions. On one hand, I love the fresh start that comes at midnight on January 1st. All the resolutions to be a better person are made with the best intentions. The house feels de-cluttered after Christmas decorations are put away, and the last of the Christmas cookies have been eaten not to be tasted again until next Christmas! On the other hand, I always feel a little sad in January. Maybe it’s knowing the joy of Christmas is over, or that we have another five months of cold, rainy, weather before our Northwest Summer arrives. Whatever the reason, it is easy to feel a little down in January.
That’s why this January, seeing Benjamin Moore’s 2018 Color of the Year, is putting a smile on my face. Caliente is described as, “A vibrant, charismatic shade of red. Caliente is strong, radiant, and full of energy.” Red is one of my favorite colors to decorate with and is perfect to help pull me out of that January slump. Red can be highlighted in small accents using rugs, throw pillows, or artwork. It can even be the focal point of your room with a large accent wall or a furniture piece.
When helping a client tell their story in their home, I know how personal it is, and that's why I use color psychology as part of my process. Using color in your home is an important way of expressing who you are as a person. For some, vibrant colors help tell their story of adventure and boldness, while others prefer a more muted and natural shade, to reflect a quiet existence. Color choices are deeply personal and should be made with great care. Each person responds differently to the same color, so be sure to pick colors you love and that evoke the best feelings in you. My best piece of advice, "Don’t be afraid to use color!"
This January, as you look out the window at another gray day and reflect on your own New Year’s Resolutions, think about giving your home a Happy New Year gift, the gift of color.
What does your favorite color say about your personality?
In mid-December, the Master Builders Association of Pierce County hosted the 2017 President’s Gala. As always, it was an evening of great fun, wonderful food, and celebrating another fantastic year for the building industry in our area.
This evening proved to be a particularly special night for Wren & Willow. Each year at the President’s Gala, the new president of MBA Pierce is inaugurated, and this year, that president is Wren & Willow’s own Cliff Kendall. After serving a year as the vice president for MBA Pierce, Cliff was elected as president by his peers.
Cliff was invited to share some remarks on his new appointment. “We cannot be a structurally sound association without a team eager to share their expertise and positive attitude,” he shared. “I believe the job ahead of us will take a dedicated group of people to move it forward. We need to communicate to our members how valuable they are, and without them, we cannot be structurally sound.”
These comments echo what we at Wren & Willow have come to know about Cliff’s leadership abilities. We are confident that he will lead with a sense of collaboration, a focus on the team, and with great humility.
Cliff with his son, Garret, who came to celebrate his dad being sworn in.
This evening was also exciting because for a fifth year, Wren & Willow received the Remodeler of the Year award from MBA Pierce. We were extremely honored to receive this award again!
One of our very favorite things about January is that it is our Chief of Security, Bentley’s, birthday month. This year our faithful vigilante is celebrating 12 years (that’s 84 in dog years), and all he wants for his birthday is a good bone and a warm fire to sleep next to.
Bentley has shown his age this last year. He had 14 of his teeth removed, which makes it very difficult to eat his favorite food, steak. On top of that, he had one of his knees replaced, and he had to wear, as he called it, the “cone of shame” for a couple of weeks while he recovered. He was heard muttering, “This is ridiculous,” and “I’m the Chief of Security,” during that time.
For Bentley’s birthday, he was given one of his favorite gifts, a giant bone, but because many of his teeth were removed, he could only lick it. “A pair of dentures would have been more helpful,” he said after he tried to take a bite out of it.
He still guards the office, but mostly from his bed. Though his barks are still ferocious, the mailman has less to be afraid of now that the barks only come from his bed in the other room. When asked if he planned to retire, he said, “I’m so tired all the time. But, they keep asking me to work, so I guess I have to do what I have to do.”
We are grateful for Bentley and his decade of service. Please join us in wishing Bentley a very happy birthday.
What better way to add a pop of color to your home than introducing a sunny yellow KitchenAid stand mixer into your kitchen? As the mixer whirls around and you leaf through your very own One-Hundred Eats by Wren & Willow cookbook, your appetite can be stimulated by the cheerful yellow, which promises to add a little sunshine during a gray January day. Winner notified January 23rd.
This giveaway has now ended. Congratulations to Sharon B. for winning this giveaway! Subscribe to our newsletter to be updated on future giveaways.
Photos by: Aleksander Akinshev and Benjamin Moore & Co.
